Rakesh, That's a wonderful visualization of a library. I am not aware of the standards, but here are some comments. While chatting casually with some corporate librarians they told me about how they are reducing the physical library. In fact, I am told that the plan is to completely do away with the physical space. Everything online. Even it is possible to make everything digital (though I keep wondering how), I think it would do good to morph libraries as meeting places - of digital information in a physical world. You could still have a small physical collection. Libraries could be places where it is possible for people to find and consume information in novel, satisfying ways. We should make the technologies avaiable for the users. There should be open places where people can discuss, chat etc. and then sound proof nooks for those who prefer to work in silence. And I agree, it's a good idea to have cafe closeby where pleople can run for a bite. And if you have resposible users you could also allow the coffee and snack inside - say the computer kiosk or periodicals display section where people can browse while having their coffee. And mess up the place? Oh that's ok, we are modern librarians. :D Suvarsha HP Labs India --- On Tue, 6/24/08, Rakesh Singh wrote:

From: Rakesh Singh Subject: Re: [LIS-Forum] Library Building for Central Power Research Institute To: lis-forum@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in Date: Tuesday, June 24, 2008, 5:17 AM

...

Dear Smt Deshpande and Fellow LIC Professionals,

(copying my response to everybody to start the discussion on this topic)

...

I don't have ready access to the standard IS:1553, but have read it before. It says that the library should be located at a place which has some scope for enlargement, etc. etc... However, I am sure, it would have been written in an era before the Wifi. I am not sure, if your library is wifi, but it will definitely become one in the next 2-3 years. You must be wondering, why I am referring to wifi while discussing Library. Because I believe that wifi has given a boost to the place called library and information centre. I believe library to be a place which can spark ideas to be discussed later. Sitting in the library, if you come up with an idea, there should be a place immediately outside the library where you can go and discuss it with the colleauges / friends. And if required, come back and do some more research. Therefore, I have no objection in the LIC being next door the cafe (provided your LIC is AC and therefore sound proof and therefore the cafe noise will not disrupt the purpose of LIC). I see the cafe becoming an extension of the LIC. In my experience, it is not difficult to implement the 'Eatables not Allowed' rule.

Gone are the days, when people were coming to the Library for information. Information is spread everywhere on the net, which is searchable via google search (Scholar, books, etc.). But I see library more of a place of idea generation and getting good leads to look for quality information. Most of the time you get information on the Net and therefore it is essential that the library should be wifi and therefore create a place and provide an unique experience where the users can go through the actual books and scroll through the information on the net (more and more people now own Laptop with wifi capability. In the next couple of years, every reader will have a laptop). Books have to live with the information available on Internet and therefore should be capable of delivering more than the information.

Therefore, I think, you should fight for

· putting some computers in the library not only to search the catalogue but to surf internet (chatting strictly prohibited, your server administrator can implement this rule)

· all the tables should have electricity points where people can connect their laptops, cell phones, etc. These days even cell phone have internet browsing capabilities and people are more adept in using the cell phone, even while searching for information (REMEMBER iphone popularity is not because it makes good phone calls but because internet browsing is a pleasure on iphone)

· The inside layout should be done in a way that it does not resemble an archives but a modern library and information centre. Don't trust the architects, they have weird ideas about the libraries; do get involved in planning the internal design of the library.

· The office space of the librarian should be accessible to the users. He should be more of an accessible person rather than one sitting in the office closed from all four sides.

Regarding the standard IS… which says that library should have scope for enlargement - gone are the days when more books meant more space required; now more internet usage puts the question – 'Why do you need more library space when everything is available on net?"

With apologies to those who do not agree with me,

Best regards,

...

Rakesh Singh

New Delhi

On 6/24/08, *lis-forum-request@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in*

...

lis-forum-request@ncsi.iisc.ernet.in> wrote:

------------------------------

Message: 2 Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:28:57 +0530 From: "Vijayalakshmi" Subject: [LIS-Forum] library building - reg To: Cc: mail2all@cpri.in Message-ID: <000d01c8d506$fe804b80$021c10ac@library.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"

Dear Sir,

Central Power Research Institute, Bangalore is building a building for Library and Information Centre above the canteen.

The question is

1. Where should be library building located? 2. Whether above the canteen or centrally located in a separate building considering

< points mentioned in the

...

standard IS:1553?

Kindly enlighten me in this regad.

(Smt. V.R.DESHPANDE) SENIOR LIBRARIAN LIBRARY AND INFORMATION CENTRE, CENTRAL POWER RESEARCH INSTITUTE, P.B.NO.8066, SADASHIVANAGAR POST, BANGALORE - 560 080

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-- Rakesh Singh U15/45 FF, Pink Town House DLF Phase III Gurgaon, Haryana

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